1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communications systems and, more particularly, a method and system for providing an accurate service record to a communication device using a phone line detector.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Bluetooth technology is a well-known technology developed to standardize data communication between disparate communication devices. This technology allows communication devices having Bluetooth devices therein to communicate with each other without the use of cables or connectors. The communication devices can be laptops, desktops, handhelds, PDAs (personal digital assistants), mobile phones, two-way pagers, etc. The Bluetooth communication that occurs between the communication devices is short-range wireless communication and does not require the use of a wireless cellular network A typical Bluetooth device includes both hardware (e.g., antenna, transmitter, receiver, etc.) and software for implementing the short-range wireless communication. Each Bluetooth device is configured according to predetermined Bluetooth standards and protocols so that short-range wireless communication between two selected communication devices and/or multiple selected communication devices is possible. Further information regarding the Bluetooth standards, protocols and technology is available at the website of http://www.Bluetooth.com.
One of the unique features that is offered by Bluetooth technology is that a particular communication device that does not have a modem or does not want to use its own modem (if it has the modem), is able to “borrow” the use of a modem in another communication device through the Bluetooth devices in these communication devices. This borrowing is facilitated by the operation of a Service Discovery Protocol installed on the Bluetooth devices of these communication devices. The Service Discovery Protocol is a required part of the software installed in a conventional Bluetooth device.
The conventional Bluetooth device is also installed with different application programs, one of which utilizes the Service Discovery Protocol to configure the communication device to keep a list of all services which that communication device can offer to other communication devices that may need to utilize such services. This list of services is known as a “service record”. The services identified in the service record can include modem-based services (i.e., services that utilize a modem), such as a Dial-up Networking Gateway service, a fax service, etc., and non-modem based services such as a LAN (Local Area Network) access service, a synchronization service, a file transfer service, etc. A detailed discussion of each of these services is provided at the website of http:/www.palowireless.com/infotooth/tutorial/profiles.asp. If a particular communication device does not include a modem and is in need of a modem-based service, or if the particular device includes a modem but the use of its own modem may not be allowed or desired (e.g., the use of its own modem may be costly if the communication device is a mobile phone), then the Service Discovery Protocol installed in that communication device initiates communication with other communication devices within the Bluetooth range, and requests the service record from these other communication devices. The communication device receiving the service records then may select and use, if allowed, the modem-based services offered by these other communication devices through the use of the modem in these other communication devices.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional communication system 50 in which a communication device provides its service record to another communication device through Bluetooth devices according to known techniques. As shown in FIG. 1, the system 50 includes a first communication device 10 including a Bluetooth device 12 and a processor 11, operatively coupled. The first communication device 10 may or may not include a modem therein. The system 50 further includes a least one second communication device 20 including a Bluetooth device 22, a modem 13, a phone jack 14, and a phone line 15 inserted into the phone jack 14, all operatively coupled. Each of the first and second communication devices 10 and 20 can be a PDA, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a mobile phone, etc., and includes components that are typically found in these devices such as a display unit, an input unit such as a keyboard or keypad, memory, processor, etc. Each of the Bluetooth devices 12 and 22 includes a Service Discovery Protocol and an application program that utilizes the Service Discovery Protocol as discussed above.
The Service Discovery Protocol in the Bluetooth device 22 of the second communication device 20 stores a service record identifying a list of all services, including modem-based services, that the second communication device 20 can offer to other communication devices in need of modem-based services. In some conventional systems, a communication device generates a service record after it verifies that a modem exists in that communication device.
When the first communication device 10 is in need of a modem that provides a modem-based service such as the Dial-up Networking Gateway service for dialing-out to the Internet (e.g., because the device 10 does not have its own modem, or if it has, the use of its own modem is not allowed or desired), the Service Discovery Protocol in the Bluetooth device 12 of the first communication device 10 initiates short-range wireless communication 30 with any of the communication devices located within the appropriate range to determine if any of the neighboring communication devices is capable of providing modem-based services. In response to this request from the first communication device 10, the Bluetooth device 22 in the nearby second communication device 20 transmits a message back to the first communication device 10. This message contains the appropriate service record of the second communication device 20.
The Bluetooth device 12 receives this message and sends the service record to the processor 11. The processor 11 then displays the service record on an associated display unit for viewing by the user of the first communication device 10. The user views the service record, including a list of modem-based services that are offered by the second communication device 20. The user can select one of the listed modem-based services, or the first communication device 10 can be configured to select automatically a particular service according to some predetermined criteria. If multiple communication devices respond to the first communication device 10's request for the service record and the first communication device 10 receives multiple service records, then the user may select one of the received service records and further select a particular modem-based service from the selected service record.
If the user selects one of the modem-based services offered by the second communication device 20, the Bluetooth device 12 of the first communication device 10 communicates this selection to the Bluetooth device 22 of the second communication device 20. Then, through the Bluetooth devices 12 and 22, the first communication device 10 initiates the selected service using the modem 13 of the second communication device 20 according to known techniques (e.g., using AT commands). In this manner, a communication device in need of a modem is able to connect to a network such as the Internet through a modem of another communication device via Bluetooth short-range wireless communication, and access any of the modem-based services offered by the communication device having the modem.
A problem exists, however, with the conventional method of providing a service record to communication devices. A conventional Bluetooth device is configured to generate a service record either automatically or only when it determines that a modem is present in the communication device. But, even if the modem is present, the modem may not be actually connected to a working phone line, in which case the communication device is not at that time capable of providing the modem-based services listed on the service record. Thus, the conventional Bluetooth device often provides the service record to other communication devices when in fact it is not capable of actually performing the services identified on the service record. Relying on this information, the first communication device will attempt to dial out using the modem of the second communication device. But, since a working phone line is not actually connected to the modem in the second communication device, this attempt will fail and the first communication device will need to look for another device capable of providing the modem-based services. Therefore, the conventional communication system can result in a waste of time and resources.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved communication system and method for providing accurate service records to communication devices, which overcomes the problems of the conventional communication devices and methods for providing service records.